Shamati #35 “Concerning the Vitality of Kedusha,” (Start with: “Yet, we must always know”)
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The Book of Zohar – Selected Chapter “Beresheet (Genesis),” “Illuminations of Light and Illuminations of Fire,” Item 129, Lesson 34
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“Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 34, Lesson 20
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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Freedom,” “Freedom from the Angel of Death,” Lesson 23
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Question: This weekend we will hold a “quiet Saturday.” What should this silence be?

Answer: This custom of being silent came into the world from none other than Kabbalists. It is used as an exercise in various practices which don’t relate to our path, and generally, in the field of psychology.

When a person wants to understand something new, to focus on something new, he needs solitude. He can run away from everyone to someplace, which would be physical solitude. Or he can find solitude within, where I find a certain space inside and hide there from others’ eyes, although physically I am surrounded by many people. This relates to all levels of a person.

So, we want to carry out a similar exercise, a “silent pledge” where we refrain from speaking. There are special periods when people study the Torah more, delve deeper into the material, observe various fasts. These methods pull a person out of the usual order, the routine, and help him look at the world and himself slightly differently. They allow him to concentrate or focus inside.

“A quiet Saturday” does not mean that no one opens their mouths. But when we do talk, we talk only about the study and what it contains. And we only talk inasmuch as it is necessary. If there is no need, then we think about the same questions instead of talking about them. After all, words lay bare a person’s soul, revealing the innermost secrets of his heart. And therefore, one shouldn’t talk unless it is for the sake of correction.

That is how we will hold this Saturday. All lessons and meals will take place by the regular schedule, and every person will limit himself as much as he can, trying not to speak but only to think.

Concentration in thought, inner focus has a much greater effect in the world than words. After all, thought is a much higher force than speech. This is the highest force in a person, and therefore it is the most effective in the general system of reality. It is precisely the beginning of the chain, “thought, speech, action”.

Therefore, we hope that by cutting conversations down to the minimum, we will rise to a higher level of bestowal.
[66033]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/11/12, “The Freedom”

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If we want to understand what is written in The Zohar, then we have to reach the similarity of desires, the similarity of properties, between us and the authors of the book. To understand means to grasp, to comprehend, as it said: “And Adam knew Eve, his wife”; that is, knowledge is fusion (Zivug), connection. That’s why, we should be in the same thoughts and desires as the authors of The Zohar; otherwise, we will not understand what is going on.

Even in our world, if I want to understand what a person is talking about, I should rise above myself as much as possible and identify with him. This is called to understand the other person. We have to dress into him.

We need to learn a little about the people who wrote this book: what their desires and intentions were, what they wrote about, what they wanted to convey to us, why they described in that particular style. After all, they live within the text.

Baal HaSulam writes in his article “The Acting Mind,” that looking at the table, I see the carpenter’s skills in it and grasp his mind. Indeed, he used his mind in his work, and studying the table, I connect with the mind of the craftsman who created it. Thus, through a material object, the table, we connect mind to mind. So, we are already connected with each other through the idea that emerged in his mind and mine.

The same thing occurs with The Book of Zohar. Only here, I don’t know about the images and properties they wrote about. But if I want to merge my mind with the authors of The Zohar, cancel myself before them, and understand why and for what they wrote like this, if I treat The Book of Zohar in this way, then I gradually awaken forces in it to the extent of my desire to grasp the mind of those who wrote it. And then, I become connected to them, get closer to them, begin to feel their intention, where they were, what they thought about, why they wrote in that way, and what they saw and felt.

Therefore, reading this book is work: how to connect with its author through his story. And thus, to the extent of my understanding, the story begins to open to me, it becomes clear and not otherwise. That is why when reading The Zohar, we must think about its authors, what their inner states and intentions were when they were writing the book, what they saw and felt, thereby conveying their attainment to us in this form, and how I can reach their mind in order to understand them.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/9/12, The Zohar

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It is written that one must begin each day anew. It’s as if yesterday didn’t exist, the count begins at zero. This applies to everything: who I am, what I am, my purpose, my goal, whatever exists and transpires around me. It’s as if I was born anew without any pre-existing knowledge or understanding. Why carry the burden of yesterday with me? Whether I was right or wrong, what’s the difference? After all, that was yesterday, and yesterday must be erased.

But how are we to do that? We do so by reading The Book of Zohar. What’s so special about it? It can grant us the power to do just that. It’s said that this power may be used for good and for evil, and this depends upon the person. The Zohar grants energy, and my “machine” determines how this energy is used, to harm or to benefit me.

We must therefore make a decision: How do we want to use the force that we get from The Book of Zohar? This power can become either the returning Light, a good force, remedy or cure, or the opposite of that, a deadly poison. Everything depends on the person, namely to what it is that he aspires.

When we draw closer to the source of life that has created us, from which all life force is generated, this is what we call “life.” And “death” is when we draw closer to our ego and follow it. Indeed, the ego has been made purposefully opposite to the Creator so that we would have freedom of choice in the middle. Therefore, when reading The Zohar, our primary efforts should be to keep ourselves aimed in the right direction.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/9/12, The Zohar

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Question: I was always taught that I needed to sacrifice something for the sake of unity. However, we are speaking about unity above all contradictions. What does this mean?

Answer: In reality you will not be able to concede anything to anyone. Of course you can sacrifice part of your aspirations if you have no other choice. However, concession is an imaginary notion when it comes to ideas. When I am right and he is not, it’s best for him to acknowledge the fact that I am right and join me. But when he is right and I am wrong, it’s of course best if I admit the fact that he is right and join him.

So what’s a concession? How can you relinquish the truth? It can’t be partial or intermediate. Only one of us is right. It’s impossible to reject a certain part here. If one were to relinquish a part of truth and the other one would cede a part of falsehood, this would not be the solution to the problem. This is not about things that can be shared; it’s about our opinions, ideas.

Question: But there is also something called the collective mind. By listening to different opinions in the group, it’s possible to find a better path than yours.

Answer: You have simply figured out that someone else has expressed a more sound opinion. Now you reject your opinion and join his. But this is not a concession. If after having evaluated everything I discover that he is right, I am not conceding, I am changing my opinion for his.

It’s possible to concede when I am convinced that the truth is on my side, but I chose to not follow it. This is not a good path; it never leads to peace. This leads to a question of whether it’s possible to make similar calculations on a global scale. After all, things are leading towards a war.

We say not. Each is right in their own way, but not according to my way. No one is corrected enough to view the entire collection of problems objectively, separately from the beloved self. So let us agree that there is neither absolute truth nor falsehood. Everything depends upon my current egoistic direction. After all, I hate and despise everyone from the beginning, but I love and exalt myself. Therefore it doesn’t make sense to go deep into details. The actual conditions do not allow us to unravel the truth or give in.

Let’s only concede one thing, the actual superficial squabbles, which always bring us wars and problems. Every time, I unite with someone just to kick someone else, this just goes on forever. Things cannot continue this way, and this is why we rise above all differences. Look at the system and you will see: The only way is to unite above the abyss between us.

Partial concessions don’t lead to peace and harmony even in the family. We don’t reject our opinion anyway, and for lack of any other choice, we falsely pretend. But when the egoistic desire grows bigger, it creates an even greater separation between us. And this is why our only possibility is to constantly be caring for love, which will raise us and cover all faults.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/9/12, “The Freedom”

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The current crisis we are experiencing in our world is not a crisis of economy and our entire life, but the revelation of the absence of the right perception of reality. Previously, we perceived reality completely shattered, divided into separate pieces between which there is no connection, no common nature, no single force, and without a single plan, goal, and process of development. Now, with the help of the crisis we are beginning to become increasingly aware of the connection between all the parts of reality.

This is a sign of a new era, a paradigm shift, the perception of a new reality. Now we are discovering reality to be broken and separated in our awareness: This is called the general crisis. But this is not a crisis of anything, but rather a previously non-existent revelation. Before we lived with the perception of our layer of reality, but now a more internal layer is being revealed, and then we see that nothing is working out and that everything is really broken. It is true that this is a crisis. But this crisis is the revelation of a new state and an opportunity, an invitation for correction.

From here we see that we can correct it only by advancing towards unification between all parts of reality and revealing within this unification a natural law that exists in that system, as well as various forms of relationships and different tendencies. In short, we will begin to see reality correctly.

What do we need for this? Of course, nothing in our world will help us now. After all, it doesn’t have to do with egoistic development but with the correction of the ego, which reveals itself in the form of the crisis. It follows that nothing can help mankind but the Light that Reforms. This is why the wisdom of Kabbalah, the method of correction, becomes revealed. And this is why we must bring this Light to the world through us. Even though for us it will be the Light that Reforms, for the rest it will be the right, new structure of the world, so it will stop appearing broken to us. This is what our correction will be like.

This is why we must understand that everything is determined by this approach: seeing the world as one whole and explaining to others that it is one. But we explain it to them simply from a scientific perspective, similar to the way scientists explain things. But for us this unity assumes a single desire, which includes 620 desires, which we must connect into one. And nothing else exists but the perception of a person, who must reach a state where he will be able to see the entire reality as a single organism.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/10/12, The Zohar

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Question: Why didn’t the education system evolve with the changing world? Why do we teach children the same way we did a hundred years ago?

Answer: It’s because in reality, humanity has not changed. Only now it may come to the realization of evil, and only with our help.

Many critics passionately berate education, but nothing happens. In fact, they simply state that they feel bad, but do not see the real reason. It’s because to see it, they need to be able to compare one with the other. Here, we need the Light that Reforms.

In our world, we reveal only evil, but not its relationship with the good. This is not the realization of evil yet; something else is required as a criterion. Yes, I feel bad, but I cannot detect the reason because to do this we need to attract the Reforming Light.

As a result, people have been talking about the problems of education for at least 50 years, and so far nothing has been fixed. This area consumes huge budgets and resources and involves a vast number of people. Parents suffer, teachers suffer, students suffer—and all are helpless.

In fact, the system itself is rather conservative and unwilling to change. However, even knowing that they need changes, no one can carry them out. There is no clear, accurate, modern program of actions. In contrast, it does not require much to simply destroy what exists. Today, it is clear that it is necessary to raise a child as a human being. To do this there are many different techniques: It seems that we are nearly there, but where are these human beings?

In the end, we cannot manage without the Light that Reforms. But how can a person get it, without having a point in the heart? To do this, he needs to be connected with those who do have it. Therefore, only we can bring a new method of education to the world. Nothing else will help; there must be connection with the Light that acts in desires.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/10/12, “The Freedom”

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We have to convey our message to everyone. However, I suppose that people will accept it better than the leaders will. The general population will come to us before the “notable” people.

Question: Why can’t we convey our system from the top? After all, if the government decides, the decision will be carried out.

Answer: The point is that an ordinary person has no system. He has an empty stomach, and he usually doesn’t care what he fills it with. He doesn’t care about the means, about someone’s system. For him, the main thing is not to be hungry.

The prime minister, on the other hand, makes plans and thinks about what is best to do, such as raise taxes or lower them, cut the budget or not to change things, and so on. He is involved in the technical details. He cannot take his mind off them and get rid of them. That’s the problem.

This is why we find it hard to reach those who sit at the top. Their problem isn’t their stomach, but control. They want to preserve it, and they cannot see beyond their plans to understand the reason they are unsuccessful.

They find it hard to hear something new. They can’t do it. What they would need to do to change their way of thinking is to put on “round” glasses to see the “round,” integrated world and its interdependence.

In this world, success is not measured by economic plans, technical details, interest rates and taxes. However, experts cannot break out of this vicious circle; they see the economy through the old perspective and cannot imagine anything else. They make plans according to profit.

For example, I make shoes; I sell them and make my living this way. One pair gives me enough to live for an entire month. If I make and sell two pairs, now I have a monthly surplus. Now the government comes knocking at my door, “I am taking 50% of your profits on the second pair of shoes. After all, I need to fund the state, the army, pave the roads, and so forth.” Well, that’s understandable.

Then the municipality knocks at my door, “You need sanitary services in your neighborhood, public utilities, landscaping, and so on. Give me 10% your profits.” And so it continues. [Read more →]

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Shamati #25 “Things that Come from the Heart”
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The Book of Zohar – Selected Chapter “Beresheet (Genesis),” “The Two Great Lights,” Item 127, Lesson 33
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“Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 31, Lesson 19
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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Freedom,” “Two Creations: A) Man, B) A Living Soul,” Lesson 22
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In order to figure anything out, one must either start from the very beginning or the end – from the beginning of creation or from its final goal. After all, what’s in the middle belongs to our work, free choice. By analyzing the beginning and the end, we have to understand what we have to do in the middle.

The difference between the beginning and end of the path lies in acquiring the intention of bestowal. Nothing but this changes in reality. By changing the intention, we attain our difference from the Creator and correct it. Therefore, it is clear that our task lies only in attaining this proper intention.

Every action consists of thought, speech, and action. Thought is the plan preceding everything, which initially includes the result of the action. And in the middle, between the plan and the execution, there is speech, meaning discernment.

And in order to make the proper discernment, there must be concentration. This is why Kabbalists have a custom of being silent, which is also done in this world. When a person is about to undergo an important event and he wants to understand how to do it, he focuses on it, requiring silence, and trying to close himself off so he won’t be bothered by external conversations. He intensely prepares to carry out the action correctly.

That is why we want to spend the weekend in silence, in quiet, and think about how we can attain the right action. Instead of talking, we will make discernments in silence.
[65931]
From the preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/10/12

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